VT - Vermont

One of the great benefits of living in New England is the
opportunity to visit Vermont. We have found every place we have visited
in the state to be exceedingly beautiful and hospitable.

Since it opened to the public in 1998, the Marsh-Billings
National Historical Park in Woodstock has become one of my favorite
places to visit. We went as a family shortly after it opened, and I
have now returned three times with students in an upper-level natural
resources class. The combination
of history, landscape, and professional staff make it the ideal place
to
learn about the meaning of conservation in North America. I have even
published
an encyclopedia article about this
fascinating property.

Another Vermont favorite is the Vermont Country Store
in Weston. We had become fans of its incredibly useful catalog before
coming to New England. Now we find that one must visit the store to
enjoy the complete experience. The Ortin
Family Foundation provides incredible leadership in supporting the
preservation of rural
communities and landscapes.

David Mamet describes central Vermont in his book,
South of the Northeast Kingdom. I learned of the book
because it mentions Rainbow Sweets, a delightful bakery and coffee shop
in Marshfield.